ExxonMobil and Coast Guard to conduct pollution exercise

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — ExxonMobil Pipeline Corporation, in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and local responders, will hold a joint oil pollution response exercise at the Biltmore Hotel in Providence Tuesday and Wednesday.

This industry-led exercise is being conducted as part of the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP), required under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

PREP is a multi-agency program designed to test the Area Contingency Plan (ACP) as well as state and industry spill response plans.

The Coast Guard, alongside federal and local area partners, conducts emergency preparedness and pollution response exercises every year as part of established multi-year strategies to build capabilities and improve readiness levels. Planning, training and exercising are important components of the nation’s homeland security strategy and response capabilities.

The goals of the exercise are to evaluate the ability of the response organization in utilizing the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS) as a response management system to form a Unified Command (UC) and to provide a competent response and initial assessment of the potential impacts of an oil spill. The exercise also seeks to validate the ExxonMobil Facility Response Plan and current notification procedures and processes listed in the ACP which emergency responders follow during an oil pollution incident in Rhode Island.

No assets or equipment will be deployed in the field as part of this exercise.